Breech-loading firearm



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. R T TORKELSON E BREEGH LOADING FIREARM.

No. 601,820. PatentedApr. 5,1898.

@43W @WW STATES ETE REINHARD T. TORKELSON, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

BREEcH-LOADING FIREARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,820, dated April 5, 1898. Application led March 18, 1893. Serial No. 466,732.v (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, REINHARD T. ToRKnL- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vorcester,in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Breech-Loading Firearms, of which the following is a specification.

The aim of this invention is to improve the arrangement of parts in the breech mechanism of breech-loading guns, and especially relates to double-barreled Shotguns, although parts of myinvention can be applied to a single-barreled gun.

The invention consists of the arrangement of parts described and claimed in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying two sheets of drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the breech mechanism of my improved gun. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the parts in a slightly different position. Fig. 3 is avieW similar to Fig. 1, the gun being broken or the barrels raised, so that the cartridges can be inserted. Fig. 4 is-a plan of the hammer-spring. Fig. 5 is a plan of the triggers and sears, showing the way they are mounted. Fig. 6 is a plan of the safety-slide. Fig. 7 is a plan of the locking-bolt, illustrating the way the same is operated; and Fig. 8 is a detail of part of the extractor mechanism. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of one of the triggers, and Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of the slide 59.

Referring to the drawings and in detail, it will be seen that my improved gun consists of the frame A, which is made out of metal and which is shaped and finished to carry the larger part of the breech mechanism.

B represents the fore-arm, which carries the usual barrel or barrels C, and which barrel is pivoted to the frame A by means of the usual heavy pin or screw D.

10 represents the front trigger, and 11 the back trigger, and each of these triggers carries a sear 12, which is set in a groove 13, formed in each of the triggers and under a projecting ear 14, formed in each of the triggers. The triggers and sears are mounted on a pin or screw 15, which is secured in the framing, and the ears 14, before referred to, act as safety-ears for the triggers, as hereinafter described. By this construction it will be seen that the triggers and sears can be quickly and readily assembled. All that is necessary is to iit the sears into the triggers andput the parts in position in the frame and insert the pin or screw 15. Also it'will be seen that as thesears are not brazed or securely made as parts of the triggers if a sear should become Worn the same can be easily removed and a new one inserted. By this construction it will be seen that the triggers can be made out of soft material and the searsv out of tool-steel and hardened, so that the sears will not easily wear.

16 represents the usual spring or springs, and 17 the usual trigger-guard.

The hammers 18 are mounted on ascrew or shown, and each of the hammers has a catch,

cocked.

Formed on each ofthe ham mers is a shoulder, as 21, against which the hammer-spring bears.

The front of each of the hammers is cut away on an easy curve, as shown, so that the ends'of the cocking-lever can nicely bear on the same, as hereinafter described.

23 represents the hammer-spring, which is made' in one integral piece, as shown in Fig. 4, but with two projecting arms 24, which are united by the part 25. By this means the separately actuate each trigger.

The part 25 of the spring 23 is caught under a catch or shoulder 26, formed in the frame, as shown, so that the spring will act as t-h'e usual kick-spring and will put the hammers at all times under tension.

The hammers have small pins or projec tions 27 formed on the same, as shown, against which the end of the locking-bolt is adapted to press for a purpose hereinafter described.

The usual firing-pins are represented'by 28, and the iiring-pins are held normally away springs 29.

safety-slide, which is mounted to slide under the upper part of the frame and which has connected thereto a suitable push-piece 31, which has'a tongue 32, which projects down into the frame and into a hole cut in shaft 19, which is secured in the framing, as,

.as 20,'for the sears, whereby the gun can be spring can be made in one piece and still can from the barrels by means of the usual 30 represents a part which I term the IOO . that the hammers cannot be released.

the safety-slide and which is held in place in the safety-slide by means of a pin. The safety-slide is extended toward the rear, as shown, and has a suitable catch 33, which is adapted to coact with a projection 34, formed on the main frame, so that the safety-slide can be held in either its safe or inoperative positions.

Extending down from the safety-slide 30 is an arm 35, which is adapted when pushed toward the rear to engage the ears 14 of the triggers, and thereby to lock the triggers, so This arm 35 is set into the safety-slide and headed over, so as to form a rigid structure therewith.

The safety-slide 30 has two arms 3G, which project down, as shown, and against which the ends of the hammers are adapted to push as the gun is cocked, whereby as the gun is cocked the gun will be pnt under safety.

The locking-bolt is represented by 37, and the same has a suitable slot 38, arranged in the usual manner to form catches 381 and 382 to engage slots or notches formed with the barrels and whereby when the locking-bolt is moved forward the same will tightly lock the ends of the barrels to the framing. This locking-bolt 37 is offset or extended up, as shown, and has a raised cam-shoulder 39 and a curved tooth 40, these parts being adapted to coperate with the bolt-operating shaft, as hereinafter set forth.

A bolt-operating shaft 4l is journaled in the framing above the end of the lockingbolt, and the same has a collar 42, on which is formed a tooth or projection 43, which lits in between the cam-shoulder 39 and the tooth 40 of the locking-bolt, and on the upper end of the shaft 4l is fixed the thulnb-lever 44. It will be seen that by this means the locking-bolt can be positively slid by means of the lever44 in either direction, the projection 43 bearing on the cam-shoulder 39 to move the bolt rearward and on the tooth 40 to move the bolt forward, and also it will be seen that the tooth 40 will not interfere with the movement of the bolt to the rear. By this means the bolt is always positively controlled from the lever, and this construction is simple and efficient.

A small cylinder 45, having a projecting ear 46, which lits into a hole 47 in the framing, is extended, as shown, and fitting into this cylinder is a pointed pin 48, which is slabbed away to nearly its rear end, as at 49, as shown, and the front end of the cylinder is pinched or hammered in, so as to engage this slabbed portion of the pin 48. By this means it will be seen that the pin 48 is free to slide in the cylinder 45, but that the saine cannot be pulled out, as the slabbed portion does not extend to the end of the pin. Before the pin is permanently inserted in place in the cylinder a spring 5l is placed under the same. The end of the pin engages with the end of the locking-bolt 37 and tends to keep the same normally in its locked or closed position. It will be seen that this construction of pin and cylinder is cheap, durable, and very simple for the purpose and that the pins and cylinders and Springs can be put together and made in large quantities and simply inserted in place when it is desired to use the same in a gun.

The cooking-lever 52 is arranged in the usual manner on a shaft or screw 54, fixed in the framing, and this cocking-lever 52 has suitable arms 53, which bear on the inclines or curves 22 of the hammers 18, whereby as the cocking-lever is operated the hammers will be moved evenly, so as to be cocked. A suitable cam or operating-piece 55 for the cooking-lever 52 is mounted on a suitable pin 57, which is fixed in a lug formed with the barrels, and this cam has a suitable notch 5G, into which the end of the cooking-lever 52 lits. A small spring 58 is arranged on top of the cam 55 and tends to keep the lower end of the same normally in engagement with the end of the cooking-lever, as shown.

Dovetailed in the lower part of the framing is a small slide 59, which is kept tightly in its adjusted position by means of a frictionspring G0, and fitting into this slide 59 is a screw 6l, which projects up into a small slot in the framing.

It will be seen that the notch 56 in the cam 55 normally engages the end of the cookinglever, whereby when the gun its broken, as shown in Fig. 3, the cocking-lever will cock the hammers. Sometimes, however, itis desired to break the gun-as, for example, when the gun is to be taken to pieces for the purpose of cleaning-without cocking the hammers. When this is the case, the cam 55 can be moved forward, so as to disengage the end of the cooking-lever, by simply pushing the slide 59 forward, when the notch 56 will be clear of the end of the cocking-lever.

An important point in connection with the breaking of my gun is as follows:

It will be noticed that I have provided no rebounding mechanism for the hammers, but, as before described, it will be noted that the end of the locking-bolt 37 is arranged in line with the pins or projections 27 on the hammers 18. Now when the gun is fired the hammers will drive the firing-pins into the primers in the cartridges and will not bound back. By this means the metal of the primers will be prevent-ed from swelling out or bulging into the holes of the firing-pins. Now when the lever 44 is first moved the locking-bolt 37 will be slightly moved back and will engage the pins or projections on the hammers and will slightly move the hammers backward. This takes place before the gun can be broken. By moving the hammers backward in this manner it will be seen that the same will be moved clear of the ring-pins and the firingpins will be allowed to move to their normal positions, whereby the pins will retreat from the primers, and the gun can thereafter be IOO IZO

broken, as desired. This is an especially valuable point where the new nitric powders are used in the cartridges, as these powders have a tendency on account of their high explosive force to bulge the metal of the primers into the holes of the locking-pins and thus to interfere with the breaking of the gun. This improved connection between the lockingbolt and the hammers can be applied to a single-barreled gun as well as to a double-barreled gun.

It will be seen that when the gun is closed the locking-bolt is moved sufficiently far forward, so that when the hammers descend on the iiring-pins the pins 27 will not strike the locking-bolt, a slight movement of the top lever being necessary before the locking-bolt can touch the pins of the hammers when the hammers are in their sprung position.

The barrels may have the usual extractor 62, which has a suitable guide-pin 63 and an operating-pin 64, which pin is slotted for a short distance, as at 65, and engaging this slot is asmall screw 66, which projects into said slot, as shown, and thereby limits the movement of the extractor.

In a part 383, secured to the barrels, is mounted a part 67, which I term a block, and which is held in place by means of a small pin 671, as shown. This block 67 is cut away or slotted, as shown, and fitted into the slotted portion of the same is the lever 68, which engages the end of the pin 64 of the extractor. The end of this leveris curved and nicely cut away, as at 680, as shown, to form a cam, and this extractor-lever 68 is mounted on a pin 69, which is iitted into the block 67. By this means the extractor-lever can be easily and quickly inserted in place, as the same is first fitted into the block, as shown, and then the block is put in place and adjusted and then pinned, so as to rigidly hold the extractor-lever. The frame is cut away, as at 70, to form a coaeting cam-surface for the cam-surface 680 of the extractor-lever 68,

thc cam-surface being in reality the shoulder- 7l, which is left by the cut-away portion 70. By this mechanism it will be seen that when the gun is broken the top of the lever 68 will be moved to force the extractor so as to extract the cartridges from the barrel, and then when the gun is closed together again the extractor will be free to assume its normal position.

lVhen the gun is broken, the hammers are cocked, as before described, and in this cockiug operation they are moved to engage the ends of the sears, and as the ends of the hammers bear against the safety-slide they will move the safety-slide to its safe position, and when the gun is closed there will be considerable space between the ends of the safetyslide and the cocked hammers. This will allow the safety-slide to be moved up or off its safety without putting too much pressure between the safety-slide and the ends of the hammers.

-The operation of the entire gun is thought V herein claimed may be applied to a singlebarreled as well as to a double-barreled gun.

The details and arrangement of parts herein shown and described may be greatly varied bya skilled mechanic without departing from the scope of myinvention as expressed in the claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-v l. In a gun, the combination/of a trigger l0 and a sear l2 formed in separate pieces, and mounted on the same shaft, the trigger-body being cut away along its upper edge'topresent a long working shoulder, and being provided with an overhanging lug 14, the sear fitting under, and being held in place by the lug 14, and having a long working face to rest upon the shoulder of the trigger-body, substantially as described.

2. In a gun, the combination of a trigger, a hammer, and a safety-slide 30 formed of a spring-metal body having an integral springcatch 31 adapted to hold the safety-slide in one of two positions, an integral spring-finger 36 adapted to be engaged by the hammer, a

IOO

finger-piece or push 3l extending outside of the gun-casing, and an arm 35 secured to the slide by being headed into the same, and adapted to engage the trigger, substantially as described.

3. The combination in a gun of the framing, the barrels pivoted thereto, the hammers, the firing-pins, the triggers, the cooking-lever for cooking the hammers as the gun is broken, a vertical shaft having a lever or snap at its upper end, and suitably connected at its lower end to operate a sliding locking-bolt for locking the barrels and framing together, of pins or projections on the hammers, adapted to be engaged by the locking-bolt so that the first part of the unlocking movement of the locking-bolt tends to move the hammers away from the firing-pins, and that thereafter the hammers are cocked by the breaking of the IIO gun, the locking-bolt being moved far enough forward, when the same is in position to lock the frame and barrels together that the pins or projections on the hammers, will not strike the locking-bolt as the hammers are sprung, substantially as described.

4. In a gun, means for holding'the lockingbolt in one position, consisting of the cylinder 45 having an ear 46 adapted to fit into the framing, the pin 48 fitted into the cylinder, said pin being slabbed at 49, and the edge of the cylinder being forced in atl 50 to engage the slabbed portion of the pin to prevent the pin from being removed from the cylinder,

and a spring 51 mounted behind the pin, substantially as described.

5. In a gun, the combination of the lockingbolt having the inclined cam-shoulder 39 and a tooth 40 arranged upon the upper surface of the locking-bolt, and the Vertical operating-shaft 41 having a downwardly-projecting rib or tooth 4:3 which fits between said camshoulder 39 and the tooth 40 whereby the locking-bolt can be moved positively in either din rection, the tooth Ll0 being curved so as not to interfere with the rearward motion of the locking-bolt, substantially as described.

6. In a gun, the combination of the framing, the barrels pivoted thereto, of a slide 59 having a dovetailed projection fitting into a dove tailed way in the framing, and being held in place by a screw 6l carried by said slide, and tting into a groove in the framing, a friction-spring lnounted in a recess in said slide, the slide being so arranged that when the screw Gl is removed, the slide can be moved back far enough so that it can be disengaged from the dovetailed way, the triggers and hammers, a pivoted cooking-lever, a pivoted cam carried by the barrels, and adapted to actuate the cooking-lever, and to be engaged by the slide 59 so that it may be moved from its engagement with the cooking-lever, substantiallyas described.

7. The combination in agun of the framing carrying the breech mechanism, of the barrels pivoted to the framing, the extractor mounted in the barrels, the extractor-lever7 said extractor-lever being mounted in a slotted block 67 on the pins 69, said slotted block being fixed with relation to said barrels, thus forming a bearing for the extractor-lever, which can be replaced without replacing the entire fore-arm, the extractor-lever being adapted to bear on part of the framing to actuate the extractor, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

REINHARD T. TORKELS ON.

Vitnesses:

LoUIs W. SOUTHGATE, E. M. IIEALY. 

